Google is performing some tidying up work on YouTube Gaming. The update to version 1.7 of the Android app changes up the chat interface by getting some of the superfluous details out of the way.

Now when you start watching a game, you’ll find the toggle for the chat to be at the bottom of the screen instead of crammed in next to two other categories. Just touch it to launch the chat and tap the arrow again to close it.

The new chat interface is a little bit cleaner in YouTube gaming version 1.7.

This way, when chat is opened there’s no competition for space with the Details and Suggested columns. Additionally, Google has updated the Easter Egg. With each major update, there’s a new Easter Egg that corresponds with the name of a popular game. This goes in alphabetical order, so since it’s the eighth iteration this version begins with an “H” (spoiler alert below).

To access this, type in “Half-Life 3 confirmed” into the search box. Then look for one of the games in the franchise, select it, and look for the game’s logo next to the + sign. Touching it will trigger a search for the “Half-Life 3 Confirmed” meme. You can also check out how many Easter Eggs you’ve discovered with the running tally in the settings.

Along with all the chat cleanup and Easter Egg tricks, the official changelog says a number of bugs were fixed and there’s greater compatibility with Android Nougat. To get the latest build, you can head to APK Mirror or the Google Play Store.

The impact on you:YouTube Gaming has been steadily getting better with several feature enhancements. The app is fairly accessible for those who are new to the concept of streaming and watching video games, which could give it a wider appeal to first-timers than Twitch. The game streaming wars are going to be a lengthy one, and it appears Google is in it for the long haul.

This story, "YouTube Gaming update smooths out chat experience and drops in a new Easter Egg" was originally published by
Greenbot.